MARS ON MUSK’S MIND

“I want to die on Mars, just not while landing” Elon Musk

If Mars were habitable and Elon Musk had the means to send thousands of colonists there, would he instruct them to build an Earth-like city there..?  Of course not – such a wasteful and outmoded model would be insane..! 

Terra-forming of Mars

All other considerations being equal, and if able to start with a clean slate, why would anyone build something as wasteful and inefficient and INSECURE as a 2D sprawl city..?

Any habitable world is likely to have evolved dangerous pathogens, carnivorous creatures, perhaps even warlike humanoids – that would pose a constant deadly threat to any colonists. Even if no such threats existed, colonists would still want to build an enclosed 3D city for conservation of resources and protection against the elements. 

If we can all agree that – at least on other habitable planets – 3D cities would be far more logical human habitats than 2D cities, then why not here on Earth..?  Surely the same needs – conserving resources, protection from the elements, and other potential threats – apply equally on Earth..?  Arguably EVEN MORE SO given the multitude of environmental, demographic, and political crises that are looming here. 

Unlike the eye-watering cost and highly complex technology needed to get a tiny handful of astronauts to Mars, building Oasis Cities on Earth would not involve any Rocket Science..!  The technology to build such cities has existed for decades and, when food and water supply, utility provision, service delivery, maintenance, etc., are factored-in, they should be significantly more economical to build and upkeep than conventional 2D sprawl cities. 

And clearly MUCH SAFER..!

Enclosed habitats would make life better and easier in a multitude of ways.  Everything that makes life comfortable – public utilities and facilities, goods supply chains, technological infrastructure, waste management, health and emergency services, etc., would be greatly rationalised and simplified and operate at much greater efficiency. 

Oasis City inhabitants would also be far more secure from all manner of threats whether human, biological, or whatever nature can throw at us – weather, flood, fire, earthquakes, etc.  And ever-increasing internal threats such as vehicle ramming attacks, knifing rampages, “grooming” gangs, etc, etc.  There are a multitude of other excellent reasons for having Oasis Cities – ecology, esthetics, energy, economy, self-sufficiency, health and well-being, social, political, and so on.